Firestorm: Red Thunder

Senior Lieutenant Bezarin and his command had recently returned from supporting the offensive effort in the north and now were tasked with making a sweep ahead of the primary axis of advance along the Main River. To the surprise of no one, the Americans in the region were doing something similar, setting the scene for a classic meeting engagement along the river banks.

With both commanders quickly spotting each other's forces, the Americans moved first of the mark. Bezarin watched as a Mech platoon moved to secure the local train station to cover their artillery and rail bridge, while another began sweeping toward his far left flank, hoping to use the cover of the petrol tanks as cover. Their tanks also moved up and fired rapid, un-aimed shots at his T-64s, but the did no damage before scooting back into cover to avoid the return fire.

To counter these moves, and keep pressure on the Americans, Bezarin ordered his tanks into the cratered streets of the village in order to engage the American tanks and pin the infantry in the rail station. At the same time, he ordered his ZSU platoon and BMP Motor Rifle support toward the petrol tanks to meet the other American Mech platoon and force them to engage to prevent them from flanking him and securing the farmstead.

Seeing that there was no way to avoid action, the American platoon leader near the petrol tanks charge in, .50 cals blazing. At close range, the managed to knock out a BMP, but the return fire from the BMPs saw 2 M113s destroyed. On the right flank, after playing a cat-and-mouse game, Bezarin was able to get clear shots at the American tanks and knock them out. American attack helicopters attempted to assist their armored comrades, but while their missiles went wild, the missiles of Bezarin's supporting SA-13s did not, clearing the skies of the American air threat.

With the American tanks and air threats removed, Bezarin focused on clearing the rail station of the entrenched American infantry, leaving his Motor Rifle unit to fend for itself on the extreme left. Poring shots into the building at close range, Bezarin could hear the screams of the dying and wounded. The Americans were learning the hard way that the heavy guns on the Soviet tanks are just as brutal against even dug-in infantry as they are against armored tanks. But all was not well, as Bezarin heard reports from this supporting gunships that they were taking heavy defensive MG fire from the American artillery before losing radio contact. On the horizon, he could see twin explosions he could only assume were where his precious Hinds had once been,

Meanwhile, on the left, the firefight continued among the petrol tanks. M113s and BMPs exploded to close range MG fire and RPGs, forcing the infantry into the open air to join the fight with assault rifles and SAWs.

After a series of back and forth assaults and more explosions, the action around the petrol tanks died down. With his left secure and sensing the American breaking point to be near, Bezarin ordered a final push. After another salvo of fire into the American strong point, the American infantry had had enough and broke contact, withdrawing to the other side of the river. The way ahead open, Bezarin's tanks surged forward toward the American artillery positions and achieving a break through the lines.

With the American lines breached and the Bezarin's tanks commanding the rail line, the rest of the American forces disappeared into the gathering evening mist. With relatively light casualties in terms of manpower, Bezarin managed to force the Americans from the field and accomplish his sweep. As he paused to take in the fields around him, he heaved a heavy sigh and took in the fruits of his labor and another great victory for the Soviet Union.